Horror has always been a popular genre of film, dating all the way back to the silent era of cinema with films like The House of the Devil (1896) and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920). The genre has evolved over the decades, but the ‘80s holds a special place in a lot of fans’ hearts. This decade is known for over the top gore created with practical effects, original creative ideas, as well as for popularizing the slasher genre.
This era of horror is also known for pumping out sequels that rarely lived up to the original, with many films never getting a worthwhile sequel. Others on this list never got a sequel at all, leaving fans to wonder what could have been if the filmmakers would have at least tried to replicate their success.
They Live (1988)
John Carpenter may be most known for Halloween, but another one of his popular horror movies is They Live. This political horror movie focuses on John Nada (Roddy Piper) as he finds a pair of sunglasses that reveal several citizens in Los Angeles are actually aliens in disguise.
Carpenter has teased They Live 2 for years, but the sequel just hasn’t gained traction. A sequel to They Live would not only satisfy long-time fans of the film but could also do quite well given the current political climate in the world.
A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
By far one of the most popular slashers of the 1980s was Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street. The original film in the franchise was a big hit among horror fans, which resulted in six sequels, a crossover with Jason, and a reboot. A Nightmare on Elm Street is one genre that went on longer than it needed to, but none of the sequels really went over all that well with fans.
Wes Craven’s estate is currently taking pitches for both a new Nightmare on Elm Street movie and TV show, but the series could benefit from getting a direct sequel to the original that retcons the rest of the series, much like Halloween did in 2018.
Friday the 13th: Part 2 (1981)
Friday the 13th is in the same boat as A Nightmare on Elm Street when it comes to shoddy sequels. New Line Cinema pumped out a whomping seven sequels between 1981 and 1989, with Jason Goes to Hell, Jason X, Freddy vs. Jason, and a reboot coming out the following years.
While the original film did get a decent sequel where Jason was fully introduced as the brutal killer of Camp Crystal Lake, none of the following films have even come close to living up to this first sequel. The fate of the franchise is currently in limbo due to a legal dispute over the rights to Friday the 13th, but fans are hoping the thirteenth film can bring the series back to form.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
In the early ‘80s, Universal attempted to turn the Halloween franchise into an anthology series. Halloween III: Season of the Witch is the only film not to feature Michael Myers (except for a brief easter egg on a TV), and the movie is considered the worst entry to the series.
That being said, Season of the Witch has gained a significant cult following over the years, with the Silver Shamrock masks even making an appearance in 2018’s Halloween. Halloween III might not feature the Boogeyman, but that gives filmmakers the creative freedom to make a sequel outside of the Halloween universe that is as whacky as Season of the Witch.
The Thing (1982)
Aside from Halloween, The Thing is often considered John Carpenter’s most memorable film. The film ended with MacReady (Kurt Russell) and Childs (Keith David) as the sole survivors of the alien attack, with audiences not knowing if one of them was the shape-shifting creature.
The Thing 2 is one of the most desired Carpenter sequels, but the closest fans have ever gotten was the prequel in 2011. Carpenter has reiterated over the years that he won’t make The Thing 2, but Universal is remaking the film with additional content from John W. Campbell’s Who Goes There?.
Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)
One of the biggest cult classics from the horror genre is Stephen Chiodo’s Killer Klowns from Outer Space. This film is a fun horror B-movie revolving around alien clowns that came down from outer space, wrap their victims in cotton candy cocoons, and attack people with popcorn guns.
A sequel called The Return from the Killer Klowns from Outer Space in 3D had been in development for years. Unfortunately for fans, Disney canceled the sequel upon them acquiring 20th Century Fox, so this ‘80s horror flick will likely never get a sequel.
Aliens (1986)
Aliens was a worthwhile sequel to Ridley Scott’s horror masterpiece Alien, but the franchise fell flat after James Cameron released his sequel in 1986. Ridley Scott returned to the franchise for Prometheus in 2012 and Alien: Covenant in 2017, but fans are still waiting for the final film in his trilogy.
District 9 director Neill Blomkamp was developing a direct sequel to Aliens that would have brought back Ripley, Hicks, and Newt, but after Covenant was a critical disappointment, Blomkamp’s film was canceled. Disney has remained open to making more Alien movies, but it doesn’t seem like it is their top priority at the moment.
Predator (1987)
The Predator has become just as famous as the Xenomorph over the years thanks to John McTiernan’s film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Predator franchise has received a handful of films over the years, but all of them were mostly panned by fans and critics alike.
The first sequel came out in 1990 starring Danny Glover, but fans have yet to receive a dedicated sequel starring Schwarzenegger. Unfortunately, the Predator franchise is also owned by Disney, so it could be quite some time until fans see another Predator film, which may or may not give fans the true sequel they deserve.
The ‘Burbs (1989)
The 'Burbs might not be as iconic as some of the other films on this list, but it deserves a proper sequel none the less. This comedy thriller came out in the late ‘80s starring Tom Hanks as suburbanite who believes his neighbors are murders part of a satanic cult.
The film provided moviegoers with a nice blend of horror and comedy, with The ‘Burbs also having a stellar cast including Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, and Rick Ducommun. With the consistent popularity of Tom Hanks, a sequel could do well at the box office even though the original film only got mixed reviews.
Beetlejuice (1988)
This list couldn’t be complete without including Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice. Even today, Beetlejuice stands as one of Burton’s most popular films, with it also being one of Michael Keaton’s most recognizable roles. A sequel has been stuck in development for 30+ years, but no significant progress has ever really been made.
The last update fans got was when Mike Vukadinovich joined the project in 2017 as a writer. The most significant progress the sequel ever made was in the ‘90s when Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian was in development, but it is probably a good thing that idea fell through.